article by Charise Frazier via newsone.com
The USA women’s gymnastics team obviously did not come to play in Rio – they literally vaulted ahead of the competition during the qualifying round on Sunday.
Veteran Aly Raisman and it-girl Simone Biles will advance to the all-around final, where they will battle with China, who scored second in the qualifiers. In total, Team USA scored an unprecedented 10 points higher than China on Sunday. Team USA holds the chance to win 10 gold medals in every finals event, including vault, beams, bar, and floor exercises.
In the vault competition, Biles was utter perfection as she nailed two of the hardest vaults in the competition, scoring 16.050, the highest of any gymnast during the meet. Raisman came in second with a solid 15.766.
On the bars, Madison Kocian led the team with a high score of 15.866, while Douglas came in third behind Russia’s Aliya Mustafina, with 15.766.
But it was the beam exercise that most were looking forward to. Douglas and Biles both fell during last month’s Olympic trials. On Sunday, they didn’t disappoint, landing explosive performances. Biles came in first for Team USA with 15.633, and Laurie Hernandez came in second, scoring 15.366 and beating out Brazilian gymnast and crowd favorite, Flavia Saraiva. Douglas came in third for USA with 14.833.
To read full article, go to : Watch Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas At 2016 Rio Olympics | News One
Posts published in August 2016
article by Angela Bronner Helm via theroot.com
Chris Bentley and Carlos Miller, two African-American men who have been friends since middle school, have started an innovative way to help the homeless of Palm Beach County, Fla. The two started a nonprofit—Live FRESH (Feeling Revitalized Encourages Sustainable Happiness)—and have launched a mobile shower facility, an air conditioned trailer equipped with six private shower/changing area rooms, to assist the area’s transient population.
The Palm Beach Post reports that the two chose showers specifically: “For us, that’s where dignity and self-respect starts … with the ability to stay clean and be presentable,” says Bentley. “Cleanliness is a fundamental need. We actually see it as basic human right and because the homeless population can be hard to reach, we knew we would have to come to them and make ourselves available in areas they could easily reach.”
Miller writes on the website: “To see a human being, living in the United States of all countries, walk inside a store with apprehension over being shunned or offensive to the atmosphere due to their odor or disheveled state grabbed at the core of my heart.”About 250 people have participated since the program began March 31, reports the Post.
Each participant gets a packet with personal hygiene essentials including deodorant, towels, soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss. The organization was able to launch its fund with a $100,000 grant from Impact the Palm Beaches and smaller donations from other organizations.
To read full article and see video, go to: Longtime Friends Start Mobile Shower Facility for the Homeless in Fla.
Halle Berry Joins Forces with Saks Fifth Avenue and Christian Louboutin for Key to the Cure Campaign
article by Dominique Hobdy via essence.com
Halle Berry is using fashion to fight for a great cause.
The actress is teaming up with Saks Fifth Avenue, Stand Up to Cancer and the Entertainment Industry Foundation for the Key to the Cure campaign.
Signing on as the official ambassador for the cause, Berry will be rocking an exclusive limited-edition T-shirt designed by Christian Louboutin in the campaign images.
“I, like so many others, have been touched by cancer, which is why I’m proud to continue to lend my support to the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Stand Up to Cancer in serving as this year’s Key to the Cure ambassador,” Berry, 49, said in a statement. “I hope everyone will join me in supporting this critical cause by purchasing a Key to the Cure T-shirt.”
To read more, go to: http://www.essence.com/2016/08/04/halle-berry-teams-christian-louboutin-saks-t-shirt-line-cause
The actress is teaming up with Saks Fifth Avenue, Stand Up to Cancer and the Entertainment Industry Foundation for the Key to the Cure campaign.
Signing on as the official ambassador for the cause, Berry will be rocking an exclusive limited-edition T-shirt designed by Christian Louboutin in the campaign images.
“I, like so many others, have been touched by cancer, which is why I’m proud to continue to lend my support to the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Stand Up to Cancer in serving as this year’s Key to the Cure ambassador,” Berry, 49, said in a statement. “I hope everyone will join me in supporting this critical cause by purchasing a Key to the Cure T-shirt.”
To read more, go to: http://www.essence.com/2016/08/04/halle-berry-teams-christian-louboutin-saks-t-shirt-line-cause
article by Deron Dalton via eurweb.com
After 88 years, Idris Elba broke the “Flying Mile” record in the UK, going over 180 mph in a Bentley to beat 1927’s Sir Malcolm Campbell.
“I’m absolutely elated to have broken the ‘Flying Mile’ at Pendine Sands,” Elba said. “It’s an honor to have taken on the challenge, and to successfully follow in the footsteps of the illustrious Sir Malcolm Campbell.”
The “Luther” actor is filming a four-part series for the Discovery Channel called, “Idris Elba: No Limits,” which will air in July.
To read more, go to: http://www.eurweb.com/2016/08/idris-elba-breaks-uk-flying-mile-speed-record-after-88-years/
article by Greg Braxton via latimes.com
For years HBO has been criticized for its pattern of featuring shows spotlighting the stories of white women while ignoring the creative voices of women of color. While “Sex and the City,” “Girls” and “Veep” have been solid hits, they have also been blasted for sidelining ethnic characters. “Girls,” created by and starring Lena Dunham, has particularly come under fire for its focus on young white characters even though it is set in New York City.
Starting Oct. 9, the premium network will enter more diverse territory, courtesy of Issa Rae, a former YouTube sensation who is starring in and executive-producing “Insecure.”
The half-hour series explores the friendship between two African American women who deal with their sometimes stormy relationship while also grappling with conflicts inside and outside black culture. Much of the humor has a raw flavor, and does not hold back on sexually frank situations and dialogue.
For full article, go to: Issa Rae takes HBO from white ‘Girls’ to black women with ‘Insecure’ – LA Times
article by Yessenia Funes via colorlines.com
A cohort of racial justice and civil rights organizations delivered a petition advocating for major police reforms to the Department of Justice this afternoon. With more than 500,000 signatures, the petition urges the White House to defund police departments that reject community-based reforms. It also calls for justice in the fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Color of Change, which led the effort, partnered with Advancement Project, BYP100, the Movement for Black Lives Policy Table, Black Lives Matter and the NAACP for a 2 p.m. press conference.
The petition reads:
Our criminal justice system is not properly holding police accountable. We must defund police departments that employ officers who are quick to kill and condone practices that do not value Black life. Our nation, politicians and many police are in agreement that police departments need reform, however, no one is ensuring this reform happens—and more and more Black people are getting killed because of it.
To read full article, go to: DOJ Petition Gains 500K Signatures, Heads to D.C. to Demand Police Reform | Colorlines
article via eurweb.com
Remember the Maryland boy who in 2015 became the first child in the world to receive a double hand transplant? Well, he just threw out the first pitch at an Orioles game.
Zion Harvey, who lost both hands and feet to a severe infection as a baby, was 8-years-old last summer when a surgical team of 40 at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia worked ten hours connecting bone, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, tendons and skin to give him two new hands.
Harvey has been working ever since to regain hand function through rigorous therapy sessions. On Tuesday, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch for his hometown Orioles. “Never give up on your dreams, it will come true,” Harvey told WJZ last year.
Outfielder Adam Jones had the honor of catching Harvey’s ball. The O’s went on to win their game against the Texas Rangers 5-1.
To watch video of the throw, go to: http://www.eurweb.com/2016/08/first-kid-receive-double-hand-transplant-throws-first-pitch-orioles-game-watch/
article via aalbc.com
1,826 readers cast votes back in 2001 for their favorite African-American authors. Here we share the 50 authors who received the most votes ranked in the order of the total number of votes received. Below are the top 15. To see the rest, go to: http://aalbc.com/authors/top50authors.php?
# 1 — (6.24%) Toni Morrison # 2 — (5.42%) Zora Neale Hurston # 3 — (4.82%) Maya Angelou # 4 — (4.71%) J. California Cooper # 5 — (4.33%) Alice Walker # 6 — (3.94%) Langston Hughes # 7 — (3.72%) E. Lynn Harris # 8 — (3.56%) James Baldwin # 9 — (3.23%) Terry McMillan # 10 — (3.18%) Bebe Moore Campbell # 11 — (2.74%) Richard Wright # 12 — (2.57%) Walter Mosley # 13 — (2.52%) Eric Jerome Dickey # 14 — (2.41%) Sheneska Jackson # 15 — (2.19%) Octavia Butler —Copyright AALBC.com.
Source: AALBC.com’s 50 Favorite African-American Authors of the 20th Century
article by Erickka Sy Savane via madamenoire.com
You’ve been thinking about starting a business and every time you come close to doing it your mind hits the brakes. If that’s you, keep reading and you’ll think again about hesitating. Take Nneka, a 27-year-old single mom fresh out of the military for example. She recently launched Innovative Supplies, a line of Black-themed school supplies with notebooks so dope you want to buy 20 for yourself and everyone you know.
Nneka took action and her products sold out. Talk about an entrepreneur’s dream! According to her website, Nneka is about making a positive change in the community and says that this line is her way to reach out to millennials who seek variety and want to be a part of a bigger cause.
The goals of Innovative Supplies, as stated on the site, are to:
- Open and deposit profits into an account with black owned Citizens Trust Bank.
- Donate 40 percent of all profits made from book bag sales to local charities.
- Provide quality products.
- Hire local minority youth.
- Support other small businesses.
- Use economically sourced materials.
- Use environmentally friendly packaging.
To read more, go to: This Mom Created A Line Of Black-Themed School Supplies And Everything Sold Out! | MadameNoire
After Hilarious Series of Die-Hard Team USA Tweets, Leslie Jones Officially Joins NBC Olympics Coverage Team
article by Daniel Holloway via Variety.com
“Ghostbusters” star Leslie Jones is headed to Rio de Janeiro to join NBC’s Summer Olympics coverage. Jones announced the news via a video posted on Twitter Monday, which featured her wearing an NBC Olympics hat, waving an American flag and singing “Guess who’s going to Rio!” NBC Sports confirmed to Variety that Jones will be joining its coverage team.
As a contributor to NBC’s Olympics team, Jones will attend live events such as swimming, track and field, gymnastics and beach volleyball and provide coverage on air and online. Olympics executive producer Jim Bell invited Jones via Twitter last week to join NBC’s coverage team after the comic went on an epic Twitter tear commenting on the games.
The “Saturday Night Live” cast member has been posting Olympics-related comments and videos — mostly of Jones talking over the games on TV — since shortly after the opening ceremonies Friday night.“We’re thrilled to have Leslie come to the Olympics,” said Bell. “She’s a member of the family, and her passion for the Olympics is remarkable.”
Source: Leslie Jones Joins NBC Olympics Coverage Team | Variety
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